Act 44: The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House
is the forty-fourth episode of Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. It is a prelude to Shinkengers' endgame story, and features a shocking revelation around Takeru and the truth about the head of the Shiba Clan. Synopsis During a New Years celebration, the arrival of a special Kuroko and a fire-manipulating Ayakashi forces Takeru into a battle where his greatest secret is finally revealed... Plot At the Shiba House, everyone gathers for a New Years party, the first lively one in years. But while Jii provides calligraphy pens as his Otoshidama, he sees a strange Kuroko with a letter bearing the Shiba House crest. As the others practice, Takeru reads the letter and tells Jii that they will continue as planned and that he will handle it when the time comes. Meanwhile, at the deserted Rokumon Junk, Shitari is glad to see Dayu returning as he confirms to her that Dokoku sank into the Sanzu River and that he shall return once he finally fills up in the water. Until then, Shitari summons the Ayakashi Yomotsugari to kill off the eighteenth head of the Shiba House, giving her the Onibidama bullets to fight Shinken Red's Fire Mojikara. When she attacks with a group of Nanashi to bring the Shinkengers into the open, Shinken Red is protected by the others against his wishes. Having had enough of his vassals getting in his way, Shinken Red uses the Inromaru to finish the fight, barely surviving as he slays the Ayakashi with the Mougyu Bazooka. Shitari is perplexed as to how Takeru has endured the Onibidama attacks as Shinken Red gives Shinken Blue the Inromaru to battle the revived Yomotsugari. The Shinkengers form Daikai-Shinkenoh to fight until Yomotsugari manages to disrupt the combination. The Shishi Origami suddenly attacks the Ayakashi on its own as the others realize that Takeru is not the one piloting it. After Yomotsugari is destroyed, the vassals help Takeru before seeing another Shinken Red, whose retainer Toshizo Tanba appears as well. That Shinken Red ends the transformation and is introduced by Tanba as the eighteenth head of the Shiba House: Kaoru Shiba. Cast * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : Guest Cast * : Secret Disks *Shinken Red - Super, Saishuu Ougi *Princess Shinken Red - Hidden Shield *Shinken Blue - Super, Shin Samurai Gattai *Shinken Pink - Hidden Shield *Shinken Green - Hidden Shield *Shinken Yellow - Hidden Shield *Shinken Gold - Sushi (Sushi Changer), Ebi (Ebi Origami) Notes *This is the first Super Sentai episode to air in the 2010s. *As part of Super Hero Time, this episode aired alongside episode 16, . *'Key Title Kanji': 主 (Lord; the title used for the leader of the Shiba clan, both for Takeru as well as for Kaoru, the true leader) *This episode marks the introduction of Kaoru Shiba, the true head of the Shiba House who also holds the distinction of being the first female Red in Super Sentai history. *'Viewership': 2.5% **With a rating of 2.5%, this was the lowest rated episode of Shinkenger, 3.4% below the series average. Home video releases *The third volume of the ''Samurai Sentai Shinkenger'' Blu-Ray Box Set comes with episodes 34-49, and was released on June 13th 2014 at a cost of 20,790 yen. Shinkenger Blu-ray.jpg|''Shinkenger'' on Blu-ray. 81nzsJQ4rNL. SL1375 .jpg|''Shinkenger'' Volume 3, Blu-ray cover Samurai Sentai Shinkenger DVD Volume 11 features episodes 41-45: Act 41: The Sent Words, Act 42: Two Centuries' Ambition, Act 43: One Last Sword, Act 44: The Eighteenth Head of the Shiba House and Act 45: The Impersonator. See Also Category:Samurai Sentai Shinkenger Category:Sentai episodes Category:New Sentai Ranger Episode Category:Sentai New Year Episode Category:Written by Yasuko Kobayashi